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June 05, 2008
Brad and Willy's evangelism adventure
A coffee/smoothie shop called Lift opened in my neighborhood recently, and I was immediately impressed. Every person behind the counter has introduced his/herself and often asks for feedback on the stuff I've purchased.
I eventually met Brad (right) and Willy (left), the owners of Lift. It's their first retail business. What they lack in experience they make up for in their zeal to please customers. They made it a point to read "Creating Customer Evangelists" and a week later presented me (unsolicited) with their plan, based on the six tenets of customer evangelism. I was so impressed that I had to share it.
Customer Plus Delta - gather feedback
- Have counter staff track "How did you hear about us?"
- Encourage on-line blogs, reviews (yelp.com)
- Display corporate email address and encourage customers to send ideas and suggestions
- Design a sandwich or a smoothie and we'll name it after you
- Computer terminal near entry to encourage feedback, join email mailing list, etc.
Napsterize knowledge - share knowledge that will spread
- Educate customers – display FAQs, online info
- Display daily-changing coffee facts near register
- In-store computer terminal
Build the buzz
- Cool t-shirts with rotating logos
- Network hubs utilizing store owners (bikes, shoes, kayaks), trainers and coaches – these people are influential in their business and among the participating consumers
- Heavy Lifters Club – cool card with benefits for frequent use, try all 10 smoothies get 1 free, birthday gifts, etc.
- Natural fruits, juices, locally roasted coffee, compostable cups made from corn syrup – these ideas all work well within the Austin fabric
- Book cool bands to play Sat afternoons
- Host charity events on site – Helping Hand Home, People's Community Clinic, Leukemia Foundation
- Distribute coupons in goodie bags of races in the area
- Get featured in Austin TidBits email newsletter – twice weekly, email advertising openings, events, specials, etc.
Create community
- Email newsletter, blog, My Space/Facebook and other social media
Bite-size chunks
- Distribute free samples at on-site charity events
- Distribute free samples in front of store on weekends
- Hand out "credit cards" to kids in elementary and middle schools in area during honor rolls and graduation events for free smoothie
Create a cause
- Eat healthy, all natural, no preservatives, environmentally friendly/green – Austin values
- Charity in the community -- partner with the Get Fit program at UT to take fitness classes to area schools, incorporating the idea of eating healthy (smoothies) within the curriculum
Brad, Willy and general manager John (pictured here) have already implemented a number of these ideas since sending me their plan.
Got any other feedback for Brad and Willy?
Other blogs that reference Brad and Willy's evangelism adventure:
Honestly, this place just *looks* cool. I drive by everyday taking our oldest daughter to and from school on Bouldin and it's got a great presence and image. I love hearing they are so open to trying new things. Great stuff, and now I just HAVE to stop in and check it out!
Laura Alter
Where are the pictures? Hey if Whole Foods will let you take a camera inside, surey Brad and Willie would?
In a larger sense, I think this points out that marketing now a-days is more than ad campaigning, it's a total business design--being community-, and customer-oriented.
This sounds like a great new business . . . Just hearing about it makes me want to check it out.
-Steve
sounds like another great Austin establishment with a focus on customers - rockin!
Maybe share a smoothie recipe with customers every once in awhile so they can make it at home? Might be a risk, but I'd guess very few people would ever actually reduce their patronage by making them at home. They'd more likely realize how much more convenient it is to visit the shop instead and be impressed by their openness.
Cool! Its good to know that LIFT is taking customer evangelism seriously right from the start. But they have to watch out for one important thing - energy. At the start of the business, everybody is very energized. But so many initiatives? With so many initiatives underway LIFT is likely to face an "evangelism fatigue". As time passes, things that seemed important early on may start taking a back seat to more expedient job of running a business. My advice to them, focus on two or three things that they could continue to do over a long time.
Very cool company and thinkers there. I wish more people would read your book. I watch all these little coffee shops around me come and fail over and over and I wonder how many would survive if they took this approach. Probably all of them.
Way to go - that is a great use of your book and principles. Sounds great. Post some pics!
Thanks Mack! Just added some pics to the post.
Ok it sounds like they don't have a blog but am planning to launch one? Asumming they are....
1 - Have a link or widget that collects the reviews from Yelp, and have it pushed to your blog and/or website.
2 - Get a Flip and start recording the performances by the local bands, and some of the charity work you are doing. Also post these to your website/blog.
Great pics, Jackie! And if Brad and Willy do start blogging, they need to have a ton of pics up of everyone that works there! Great story and kudos for the guys being so proactive about cultivating their evangelists!
Great post, and great work for these two! You'll have to keep us informed about how well their strategy plays out over time :)
When I lived in 78704, I rode my bike by there often on the way to Whole Foods. The bummer was that they had a GREAT intro price on either coffee (which I don't drink) or smoothies (which I LOVE) but I was always running late so I couldn't check them out.
Now they have tacos by Taco Deli and all sorts of stuff going on. With my new found free time, I will make a point to stop by there!
Thanks for the info!
